Last Orders
Y
SepT 25, 2001
This review was written for the theatrical release of "Last Orders."
If you didn't know that "Last Orders" is based on a Booker Prize-winning novel by Graham Swift, you'd swear it was originally a play, given its very contained construction and economy of settings.
Maybe that's what writer-director Fred Schepisi, who was responsible for a fine stage-to-screen adaptation of "Six Degrees of Separation," had in mind when he took on this uniquely told story about the complex bonds of friendship that screened recently at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Although it takes seemingly forever for the low-key narrative to click into gear, the subtly orchestrated dramatics have a habit of sneaking up on you, leaving a resonating poignancy behind.
With the likes of Michael Caine, Helen Mirren and Bob Hoskins doing the neatly underplayed emoting, "Orders" is a little film that could make a nice impact with the right specialty distributor.
Told through a series of increasingly revealing flashbacks, the story concerns a road trip taken by lifelong friends Ray (Hoskins), Vic (Tom Courtenay) and Lenny (David Hemmings) to bring the cremated remains of their recently departed mate, Jack (Caine), to his requested seaside resting place.
As their blue Mercedes is driven by Jack's used-car dealer son, Vince (Ray Winstone of "Sexy Beast"), the group comes to grips with the death of their buddy by individually reliving key shared events of the past.
Meanwhile, as the men motor toward the inclement Margate, Jack's widow, Amy (Mirren), is about to find her own sense of closure with a visit to the couple's institutionalized, mentally handicapped daughter (Laura Morelli), whom Jack never was able to accept.
All of the resulting bits of intrigue and secret pasts are revealed in their own good time.
Where the original novel is divided into chapters that each tell the story from a different character's POV, Schepisi has packaged the material in intricate Chinese boxes, with each backward glance producing another modest "reveal."
His colorful, old-guard cast masterfully brings it all home, and the actors selected to play younger versions of the characters -- particularly JJ Feild and his savvy Caine impression -- are, for the most part, quite convincing.
Just like the guys' enlightening road trip, "Orders" takes a little while to get started but proves well worth the journey.
LAST ORDERS
MBP, Scala and Winchester Films
An MBP and Scala production
A Fred Schepisi film
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Fred Schepisi
Based on the novel by: Graham Swift
Producers: Elisabeth Robinson, Fred Schepisi
Executive producers: Nik Powell, Rainer Mockert, Gary Smith, Chris Craib
Director of photography: Brian Tufano
Production designer: Tim Harvey
Editor: Kate Williams
Costume designer: Jill Taylor
Music: Paul Grabowsky
Cast:
Jack: Michael Caine
Ray: Bob Hoskins
Vic: Tom Courtenay
Lenny: David Hemmings
Vince: Ray Winstone
Amy: Helen Mirren
Young Jack: JJ Field
No MPAA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 110 minutes
If you didn't know that "Last Orders" is based on a Booker Prize-winning novel by Graham Swift, you'd swear it was originally a play, given its very contained construction and economy of settings.
Maybe that's what writer-director Fred Schepisi, who was responsible for a fine stage-to-screen adaptation of "Six Degrees of Separation," had in mind when he took on this uniquely told story about the complex bonds of friendship that screened recently at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Although it takes seemingly forever for the low-key narrative to click into gear, the subtly orchestrated dramatics have a habit of sneaking up on you, leaving a resonating poignancy behind.
With the likes of Michael Caine, Helen Mirren and Bob Hoskins doing the neatly underplayed emoting, "Orders" is a little film that could make a nice impact with the right specialty distributor.
Told through a series of increasingly revealing flashbacks, the story concerns a road trip taken by lifelong friends Ray (Hoskins), Vic (Tom Courtenay) and Lenny (David Hemmings) to bring the cremated remains of their recently departed mate, Jack (Caine), to his requested seaside resting place.
As their blue Mercedes is driven by Jack's used-car dealer son, Vince (Ray Winstone of "Sexy Beast"), the group comes to grips with the death of their buddy by individually reliving key shared events of the past.
Meanwhile, as the men motor toward the inclement Margate, Jack's widow, Amy (Mirren), is about to find her own sense of closure with a visit to the couple's institutionalized, mentally handicapped daughter (Laura Morelli), whom Jack never was able to accept.
All of the resulting bits of intrigue and secret pasts are revealed in their own good time.
Where the original novel is divided into chapters that each tell the story from a different character's POV, Schepisi has packaged the material in intricate Chinese boxes, with each backward glance producing another modest "reveal."
His colorful, old-guard cast masterfully brings it all home, and the actors selected to play younger versions of the characters -- particularly JJ Feild and his savvy Caine impression -- are, for the most part, quite convincing.
Just like the guys' enlightening road trip, "Orders" takes a little while to get started but proves well worth the journey.
LAST ORDERS
MBP, Scala and Winchester Films
An MBP and Scala production
A Fred Schepisi film
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Fred Schepisi
Based on the novel by: Graham Swift
Producers: Elisabeth Robinson, Fred Schepisi
Executive producers: Nik Powell, Rainer Mockert, Gary Smith, Chris Craib
Director of photography: Brian Tufano
Production designer: Tim Harvey
Editor: Kate Williams
Costume designer: Jill Taylor
Music: Paul Grabowsky
Cast:
Jack: Michael Caine
Ray: Bob Hoskins
Vic: Tom Courtenay
Lenny: David Hemmings
Vince: Ray Winstone
Amy: Helen Mirren
Young Jack: JJ Field
No MPAA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 110 minutes
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